Car-coupling.



O. C. BILLMAN.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.22. 1909.

1,151,559. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

4M QM @zwm I wf coumnu PLANummvn co., WASHINGTON, D. L.

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' I Speeiiicationof Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915 Application fi1ed January zfi, 1909. Serial No.473,702.

To aZZ whom may concern: Beitknown that I, 013 11) 0. BILLMAN, a

' citizen of the United. States, residing at Cleveland, inthe county ofCuyahoga and a State of Ohio, have invented certain newand usefulImprovements in Car-Couplings,

of which the following is a specification.

My inventionrelatesto car couplers and more particularly to that classknown as the vertical plane or M: C. B. type, and the paramount objectof the inventionis to 7 provide. a generally-improved deviceofthis classwhich will be exceedingly simple in construction, cheap ofmanufacturdand ei' ficient in use, and which, by reason of per, fection'in details to meet the various def mands of actual service, willbebetter adapted to its intended purposes than anyycthen in its openposition,whenreleased by the locking device. Second: A further object isto provide a generally-improved lock-set for the "look ing device thefunctions and objects being, as the name implies, to enable the,trainman' to, set the 1ock; in one'oftwo connected couplers so thatwithout further attention the knuckle will be permitted to swing openinthe/act of cutting a train inswitching or the like, and, at thesametime, the parts will automatically assume theirproper positionpreparatoryto effecting an automatic coupling when again brought intocontact with an opposing couplen, Third: A still further objectistoprovide a locking device adaptedto automatically re-' lease the tailoftheknuckle should the draw l/Vith the i above mentioned ends in new, I

the invention in its present embodiment consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts, hereinaiterde.scribed,- illustrated in the accompanying drawinga'and particularlypointed out in thevappended claims.

, Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification,Figure 1, is a perspective view of a car-coupler,embodying my invention, the parts being shown in lOCkBdzPOSitlOn. Fig.2, a horizontalsectional view of two connected couplers, the, lockingdevice of one being shown in look: set position. Fig. 3, a similar viewof one of the couplers showing the parts in opened or unlocked position,the knuckle being in its open position preparatory to effecting anautomatic coupling.

"S milar numerals of reference designate likeparts throughout all thefigures of the drawings. i

Upon reference to the drawings, it will be seen that the improvedcoupler consists of a draw-head 1, provided with an ordinary draw-bar 2,designed to be connectedto a car in the ordinary manner, and havingpivoted to it a knuckle 3, which is provided with an arm 4, arranged toswing in a horizontal recess or cavity 5, of the draw head.

The knuckle islocked in its connected or closed position by means of acombinedlocking-dog and knuckle-opener 6, horizontally arranged andpivotally-mounted with in the recess orcavity 5, by means of avertically-arranged pivot-pin 7, passing through the upper and lowerwalls of the drawhead. 1 V

The locking-dog and knuckle-opener consists of a main body portion orarm having at its front a convex face 8, and a notch or shoulder 9,adapted to take over and engage the tip or tail of the arm 4, of theknuckle 3, when the latter is moved to its connected or closed position,as shown most clearly in Figs. 1, and 2, of the drawlngs.

In order to provide means for releasing set pawllor lever 12,hereinafter described,

v. carried bythe arm of the lmuckle,and

have its free end depressed against the lockset pawl 12, when thelocking-dog is moved rearwardly, whereby, when, the tip of the arm ofthe knuckle'has been released'from engagement with the shoulder 9, theknuckle jwill .be thrown to i and maintained in itsv open positiona'sshown most clearly in Fig. 1

3, of the drawings.

" The chain 10, passes out through an opening 13, in the rear wall'ofthe coupler-head and is secured to a suitable operating means secured tothe end of the car, and should the draw-head be broken froin thedraw-bar,

or the latter become torn from its fastenings for securing theosame to acar, whil'e the train is in motion, thechain .10, willmove thelockingdog to its unlocked position,

thus automatically releasing the tail, of the knuckle, releasingtheadjacent car, and

thereby preventing the draw-heach or the with convex face 8,;of 'thelockin'g-dog, thusdepressing the spring-arm 11, against the lock-setpawl 12, arranged in the back of the arm of the coupler until the tip ofthe arm reaches the shoulder 9, ofthe lockingdog, when the latter willsnap into engage- ,ment therewith and be securely held in its closedorlocked position until released, as

hereinbefore set forth.

It will'be seen that the spring-arm 11, is

not depressed to any great extent except in i i the opening and closingmovements'of the knuckle, and I looking-dog and .,knuckleopener,- sothat while in both the coupled and uncoupled position of the parts thespring-arm is largely relieved from tension or compression. v Thelock-set feature of the invention, 1n the present mstance, comprises alock-set shoulder 14, so positioned relative to the lmuckle-engagingshoulder 9, of the lock-, ing-dog that when the latter has been movedbeyond its knuckle releasing position, the shoulder will register withthe tip or inner end 12*, 10f the 1 pivotally-mounted lock-set I pawl ormember 12, and the knuckle being" o in engagement with an opposingcoupler it, is evident that the pressure of the spring arm 11, on thehead 12*, will cause the tip or end 12 to be moved outwardly and snapintoengagement with the lock-set shoulder 14, when the locking-dog ismoved as above mentionedjsubstantially as shown inone of-- the connectedcouplers of Fig. 2 of the drawings. On the opening of the knuckle Fromthe thedc ars part the movement of the arm or tail of the knucklecarries the tip 12", of o v the lock-set pawl ofi of the lock-setshoulder 1 lt,'the-clearance of the tip 12 with respectv I I to theshoulderl l, taking place after the clearance of the arm or tail of theknuckle with respect to the lmuckleengaging shoulder 9. Consequently,the convex face 8, of

the locking dog as the latter closes will come into engagement with thetip 12, and allow the knuckle to assume its open position while thelocking-dogby. the action of. the spring-' arm 11,v assumes its normalor I closed; position preparatory to effecting an automatic coupling?connection with. the] accompanying drawings, the operation andadvantages of my I invention will be "readily understood. 5

Havlng thus described an embodiment of foregoing description, taken'inmy invention, 1 declarethat whatlyc'laim" I and desire to secureLetters"P-atent, is-

1. In a car 'coupling,ga locking-dog hav- T ing a lock-set shoulder anda horizontally movable knuckle opening arm, and a 'lmuckle having alock-set portion adapted, while the knuckleis closed, to engage withsaid lock 2 set shoulder when the'locking-dog has been moved toits lockset position. 3

2. In a car: coupling, a locking-dog and l znuckle-opener having; alock-set shoulder and comprising a knuckle engaging arm and a knuckleopening spring-arm, and .a

knuckle having a lock-set :member adapted" to engage with saidlock-setshoulder "when said locking dog has been moved to its knuckle; releasingposition.

3, In a car'coupling, a knuckle, a pivoted lock-set member, a knucklelocking member having a lock-set shoulder in cooperative relation to:said lock-set f member, and a spring carried by said knuckle'lockingmember and extending toandadapted to be compressed against saidlockrsetmember-as said knuckle lockingpmember is moved to itsv knuckle releasingposition! a ;4. A ear coupling, comprising a draW- head, a. pivotedknuckle provided with an arm carrying alock-set-pawl, and a locking 1dog having a: shoulder adapted to engage thearm of theknuckle wheninits'closed positionand a spring arm adapted. to en ga'ge'said lock-setpawl'a'nd openthe knuckle whensaidlocking-dog isjmoved; to its unlockedposition, said locking-dog being .pro-

vided with a lock-set shoulder iada'ptedto be engaged by said lock-setpawl when the knuckle is held in its closed position and saidlocking-dog has been moved to unlocked position;

5. Ina car coupling, the combinationiwith a knuckle having an arm'carrying 'a'lockset pawl; of a locking-dog normally engag- 'ing saidarmand provided with a lock-set shoulder and a spring-arm adapted toactuate said lock-set pawl and move the same into engagement with saidlock-set shoulder of the locking-dog when the latter is moved to itsunlocked position whereby the same is held in lock-set position whilethe knuckle is held in its closed position.

6. A car coupling, comprising a draw head, a pivoted knuckle providedwith an arm carrying a lock-set member, a lockingdog adapted to engagethe arm of the knuckle when in its closed position, and a spring memberadapted to engage said lock set member and open theknucklewhen saidlocking-dog is moved to its unlocked position, said locking-dog beingprovidedwith a lock-set shoulder adapted to be engaged by said lock setmember when the knuckle is held in its closed position and saidlockingdog has been moved to unlocked position.

7 In a car coupling, the combination with a knuckle having an armcarrying a lock-set member; of a locking-dog normally engaging sald armand provided with a lock-set shoulder, and a knuckle opening memberadapted to move said lock-set member into engagement with i saidlock-set shoulder when the locking-dog is moved to an unlocked positionwhereby said locking-dog is held in lock-set-position while the knuckleis in its closed position. I

8. In a car coupling, a horizontally movable locking-dog and knuckleopener having a lock-set shoulder, and a knuckle having a lock-setportion adapted to engage with said lock-set shoulder when saidlockingdog has been moved to its knuckle releasing position.

9. In a car coupling, av locking-dog and knuckle opener provided with alock-set shoulder, and a knuckle having a lock-set" member adapted to beengaged by said knuckle arm engaging member is being moved to releasedposition.

11. In a car coupling, a pivotally mounted knuckle arm, amovablelock-set member,

and locking dog and knuckle opening members normally positioned,respectively, on

opposite sides of said knuckle arm when the latter is closed, saidknuckle opening member having a yielding bearing on and being adapted tobe placed under tension against said lock set member as said knuckle armis released by'the movement of said locking dog member. 7 r

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence oftwowitnesses.

OBED C.BILLMAN. Witnesses: i

M. G. SWINEHART, FRANK BJLLMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, I). C. i

